International Jain Conference 1985 3rd Conference

Author(s): Satish Jain, Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Ahimsa International

Page 154

Sarasvati in Jaina Art
Dr. Maruti Nandan Prasad Tiwari
Saraswati, also called Srutadevata, the personified knowledge embodied in the sacred Jaina scriptures preached by the Jinas and the Kevalins in Jaina pantheon was accorded an exalted position from at least the Kushana period, if not earlier. The Dvadasanga—the twelve Anga-texts are described as the different limbs of Srutadevata, while the fourteen purva--texts are said to be her ornaments. She is invoked for dispelling the darkness of ignorance, for removing infatuation caused by Jnanavaraniya Karma (i. e. the Karma matter covering right knowledge) and also for destroying miseries. As compared to the Brahminic pantheon, wherein Saraswati is the goddess of both learning and fine arts, she, in the Jaina pantheon, has remained as the goddess only of learning, that is so at least upto the close of ninth century A. D. As a result, no literary reference or sculptural representation suggesting her connection with music and other fine arts is available before the 10th century A. D.
Saraswati, as the bestower of knowledge and purity, has been endowed with symbols like swan (as mount), manuscript, rosary, Varada-mudra and water-vessel, which do represent her characteristic. The antiquity of worship of Sarasvati in Jainism is established on the testimony of literary references in the Vyakhyaprajnapti (2nd 3rd century A. D.), the Paksika Sutra of Sivasarma (5th century A. D.), the Pancakasa of Haribhadra Suri (A. D. 775), Samsara-davanala stotra (also of Haribhadra Suri), Mahanisithasutra (9th Century A. D.) and the Saradastotra of Bappabhatti Suri (3rd quarter of the 8th century A. D.) and also by archaeological evidence of the famous image of Sarasvati from Mathura belonging to Kusana period (A. D. 132 or 149). The popularity of her worship can also be understood from the large number of Saraswati figures placed at different parts of Jaina temples particularly in western India. A special festival held in the honour of Sarasvati is called Jnana-pancami in Svetambara tradition and Srutapancami in Digambara tradition. Besides this festival, special penance like Srutadevata-tapas and Sruta-skandha and Srutajanana Vratas are also observed by the Jainas. The worship of Sarasvati was far more popular with the Svetambaras, that is why, her images at famous Digambara Jaina sites like Badami, Aihole, Ellora, etc. are absent.